Have you ever wonder why dental aesthetics in various countries differ from one another? We all believe in things that are good for us whether it is from the common knowledge of science, or religion. Dental aesthetics culturally change over time. As we learn something new that will benefit us throughout life, we change our current lifestyle into the lifestyle we think will be beneficial for us. Japanese dental aesthetics now are the same as what Americans have; no anatomic features changed and the whitening of teeth. However, what was Japanese dental aesthetics like back then? Japanese had a practice called Ohaguro in which they paint their teeth black. The Japanese believed that exposing their enamel part of their teeth were a visible part of the skeleton, which as a symbol of death, was unclean. It was also thought to believe in the Buddhist idea that white teeth reveal the animal nature of men and women and that the civilized person should conceal them, thus blackening their teeth. They chose black was because they believed it was a static color that visually symbolizes constant strength and dignity. Buddhism, referred black as an unchanging color for which cannot be dyed with another. “Color has many symbolic properties and is often adapted in many societies around the world” (“The black teeth,” 2010). The reason why one chooses a particular color have their own reason and meaning behind it. Ohaguro was popular among men at first, particularly the upperclassman and samurais in which it represented rank. Later, Ohaguro was used for women in which represented their marital status, the coming of age and geishas. Japanese thought that women who blacken their teeth look beautiful. Although the practice of Ohaguro was a labor intensive work, they have their own ways in making their ingredients in blackening their teeth. They weren’t permanent, so they had to repaint them every single time the blackness fades away. On February 5th of 1870, the government banned the practice of Ohaguro, and the tradition was ceased.
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Lawrence Lee
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